Uzumaki (渦真記): Spiral Truth Chronicle
by Master Gray Wolf
Summary: An epic and tribute of children, while living in difficult times, being lonely or disliked, learn to become strong. The title of "shinobi" is given to those who endure. Follow the enduring wind of the boy named Uzumaki Naruto and his many friends and enemies, weak then strong. Adventure, humor, fantasy, suspense, forms the ninja world.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **I do an original series of ninja stories called "Seishin", and so I've decided to do a "fanfiction counterpart" of that. This story will not "officially" begin until the NARUTO comic ends in Japan as this is a full alternative retelling/tribute story. I still have other stories (my signature is still Monster Rancher), and I'm going to casually take my time on this. For now, I will give you two teaser chapters: This prologue and, soon, a short chapter about the Fourth Hokage.

Masashi Kishimoto, thank you for the many years of NARUTO.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Prologue: **What are friends?

(永遠とは?)

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot!?"

Sasuke Uchiha continued through the veranda; he was certain he had closed the door behind him, but it wasn't enough to subdue the shout. After the loud derision came the sound of the door flying open, violently slamming against the wall from a shove.

"What the hell! We've spent all this time preparing for your birthday and you leave!?"

Sasuke's steps continued. He would not turn to look at his teammate. He was too accustomed to the headstrong and straight-arrow traits that arranged the "Number One Idiot of Konoha Village". But it was the Number One Idiot who was calling one of the most gifted children of the village the "idiot".

Because the Uchiha didn't say anything, Naruto Uzumaki continued shooting off his mouth. "Look here," he said, "I don't know anything about the Uchiha Clan, but it doesn't mean you gotta be an ass! We're teammates!"

Sasuke stopped in his tracks. "Teammates?" he repeated the word with a hint of scorn. "Humph, don't say that word so casually. Like we're friends."

"What do you mean?" Naruto sounded disappointed.

"Sasuke! Where are you going?!" The uppity voice of the other teammate intruded, the pink-haired girl Sakura Haruno. She ran out of the room and stopped behind Naruto. Sasuke still didn't face his teammates. Naruto's irritation grew, since he felt that the Uchiha had no excuse, after so many moons and missions, to still keep a distance from others. A year had passed, and the reason for Sasuke to feel so uncertain evaded Naruto.

As for Sakura, an expression of concern appeared on her face. "Sasuke, did we do something wrong?" she asked. The good question provoked Sasuke's thoughts to form an answer. He turned his body, but his head was bowed to avoid eye contact. His answer wouldn't emerge yet as he continued to think about it.

"Heh," Naruto smiled, "I get that you don't like to talk much and you're into revenge and stuff, but you can still try to fit in." He said it with a natural enthusiasm, like he spoke with something of close intimacy. Again, like to a friend, and with no thought of consequences; Sakura knew that and was quick to grab Naruto by his collar. In that short moment, Sasuke lost focus.

"Why care?!" The Uchiha raised his head and gave Naruto and Sakura an indignant glare.

"Don't you see anything wrong with this?" Sasuke's question felt like criticism.

"Hell no," Naruto grimaced at Sasuke, and he wondered over the question. "It's a birthday party. Nothing's wrong with it at all. It's supposed to be a happy event; you're just being a sagging bag of poop."

"Sasuke, you're not trying to say that you can't have friends, are you?" Sakura asked. Her words were hollow like it pained her to ask the question. She released Naruto's collar as a morose feeling began to congest her body.

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest. He recalled what Naruto had said about "being an ass", and it was at that moment when he felt like his family received a potshot. Among the Konoha adults, there were stories of how the Uchiha Clan brought misfortunate among themselves, including their massacre. Afterward, Sasuke committed himself to a bright future for his family. He hated that his name was analogous to something "foul". It wasn't necessarily pride from being so strong.

"Don't get too close into my affairs. We're not in an age of peace and I can't let you hamper me. I am an Uchiha after all." Sasuke told his teammates, turning his head away. Despite his wishes, he still cared about being stronger, which worsened his personality. Also, he disliked the idea of Naruto and Sakura behaving like a pseudo-family. It was the main trigger of his irritation and was what caused him to walk out the door: seeing Naruto and Sakura smile, filling the atmosphere with an abundant cheeriness. It was like there was nothing wrong.

Sasuke wanted to be alone because it was all an acute reminder of what he had lost five years ago. The other two had little or nothing to lose.

"Hey, pipe down." Appearing from the door was Kakashi Hatake, the team's appointed ninja _sensei. _Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke turned their full attention to him_. _Despite the tension from the children, the _jonin_ carried an aloft air to him, like he was a part of a common situation of kids bickering over minor things.

"You may be Uchiha," Kakashi said, "but you're still a young man whose life is ahead of him. With your abilities, perhaps you can bring peace?"

Sasuke turned away again.

Kakashi continued. "Also, you're a human being?" His face looked easy. He closed his only disclosed eye, which was the only thing that could show if Kakashi's facial muscles stretched when he smiled.

"You can spare time to do other things," he said.

From Kakashi's words, a bit of Sasuke's mind revealed itself in a few words:

"Stop sounding like a father." After that, he walked away. Such bitter words made Sakura's heart freeze and she felt like there was a cryptic meaning. Naruto didn't have a second's thought.

"Hey! Come back!" He lunged, but his shoulder was grasped. He turned his head.

"_Sensei_!"

Kakashi let out a sigh and shook his head, "Leave him, okay?"

"Why?! That's bullshit what he said!" Naruto protested.

"Let him clear his head and maybe he'll come back."

"Kakashi-_sensei_, why would he say that?" Sakura asked in a voice full with disapproval. Her eyes were wide.

"I think he said that," Kakashi paused and watched Sasuke move further away, "because he _does_ care."

The trio returned to their room, but Naruto and Sakura couldn't eat. Their minds and hearts were too heavy from various emotions: Sadness, curiosity, anger, impatience. On Sasuke's strawberry whipped cream cake, the candle continued to burn. The tea was getting cold; so was the rice covered in _natto _beans, which were alongside plates of _sushi_ on rice.

Across the cream cake was black icing: "_Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu_." (お誕生日おめでとうございます)

Eventually, Sasuke returned to his team. He closed his eyes and sat down in front of his birthday cake; he remarked that he wasn't sorry, and only came back because he was hungry. To which, Naruto countered with:

"Your empty stomach didn't put shit your mouth! Apologize, you idiot!"

"Naruto, shut up!" said Sakura.

"Think he can just come back here and start eating! The warm food is probably cold now!"

"Now now now," Kakashi waved his hands, "it is his party after all."


	2. Bloody Tenko

**Author Notes: **

1.)_ Dukkha: _Buddhist term associated with suffering/pain. To Buddha, "life is dukkha" because it is imperfect. Things that change can lead to dukkha, and so are attachments to things. In Japanese, the kanji used for dukkha is "ku" (苦) meaning "bitter" and "hardship".

2.)_ Jinchuuriki (_人柱力_):_ "Human Sacrifice power". The human containers to the tailed beasts. Connected to the concept of the monk Kuoan's poems (see below) and Dukkha.

3.) To reflect Japan, especially in pre-modern culture, the character names are spelled in Kanji.

4.) Few original and "guest" characters will be present throughout the fic.

* * *

**Bloody _Tenko_**

(血の天光日)

"_When one treats people with benevolence, justice and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders._"

~ Sun Tzu

Naruto Uzumaki (渦巻 鳴門): A show-off boy who sought to crumble the feudal civilization by delivering inspiration onto others. He was looked upon as "empty", dragged by the shadows of "hate" and "oppression", and then he took steps towards being proven as "marvelous". One could say that many heroes, many retainers and leaders, are honored as "marvelous" or "popular" after accumulating a war record or a plethora of martial skills, philosophies, and sciences. Naruto gained followers with the ways he used pain and hardships, turning it into something positive through his words and actions.

Naruto's story began when he was just an infant.

In _Konoha_ (木の葉), simply known as "the secret ninja village nestled in leaves", the tenth day of the tenth month arrived. Through the adults, the date was sanctioned the _Tenko _Day, or the "Day of the Heavenly Flash" (天光の日). The custom was established to mark the birth of a child belonging to the village leader. It wasn't made out of the leader's conceit, but it was to hail something that happened very rarely. After all, ninja led very difficult lives.

_Tenko_ felt like a peaceful title, reflecting both village and leader. Also, it was hoped that the child would become leader in the future.

"Yes Naruto, The Tale of Kitsune," said the village leader, who was sitting in a lounge chair with caster wheels. He, who was formally entitled as the _Hokage_, had a book on his propped up knee. He softly turned the page.

"This is a story about a beautiful lady and her emperor. A woman of upper court status, Dako lived a prosperous life, but what was privilege without respect?" Minato Namikaze (波風 港) averted his eyes from the book and gazed ahead. He smiled; across from him was a cushioned bassinet.

"Can you tell me, Naruto?" Minato asked his question with a soft cheeriness. Little Naruto Uzumaki was only hours born. He was already cleaned by his father's aides and given his first bottle of milk. The little one still carried the bottle in his tiny hands, emptied of Nara deer milk.

"Minato, stop it," said a female voice. Her voice was nearly a whisper, dry, as if life was dwindling from her. She pushed a weak laugh from out of her throat, along with a few coughs.

"You're being embarrassing," she said, forcing a smile.

"How so?" Minato looked across Naruto's bassinet to someone lying in a bed nearby.

"Already, you're reading to him? It's not like he understands you or will answer back yet." Kushina Uzumaki (渦巻 駆使儺) was Minato's wife. On the flooring, she lay close by her son in a very padded _futon_. Even after childbirth, the allurement from her bright long red hair and positive temperament couldn't be suppressed.

Being the husband, Minato couldn't help but feel teased – and to tease back.

"Can to, can to!" Minato pouted. "I heard that if we read to our children at a young age, they will read and write very early."

"Maybe so," Kushina said, "well, Minato, use a hush-hush kind of voice?"

Minato only hummed and closed his folklore book, frowning. Naruto just quieted down a short moment ago. His eyes were closed in sleep.

Minato and Kushina were situated in a tight-spaced room with rice strawmat flooring and one sliding paper door. The door was latticed with wood; in current culture, it was a familiar architecture for houses and meant for a simple and tranquil presence. There was a short-legged wood table and an alcove with a vase of flowers and a lamp. In entirety, it was wide enough for about five or six people. Originally, Minato's lounge chair wasn't in the room, but he moved it in preparation of spending sleepless hours with his wife, aides, and baby, watching them. Especially his wife's health; Kushina closed her eyes and entered sleep.

Dusk was approaching.

"Minato," a male voice called from behind the door. Minato immediately glanced at the door, seeing a silhouette through the paper. He recognized the voice; furthermore, to be addressed by his given name grappled his attention, swore it even, as such a custom was only entitled to those like masters.

"My Lord Third?" There was a grave groan, and the silhouette slowly pulled the door open revealing an old man in brown robes. His hand carried a fresh smoking pipe. The smell of tobacco was absent.

"Minato, we must speak," he said.

"I see," Minato stared at the old man and promptly, he rose from his chair. He placed his book on the armrest. He quickened to Kushina and Naruto, and gave each of his loved ones a kiss on their foreheads. Then, Minato made haste out of the room. He would never cast away the man who preceded him and trained his master: The Third _Hokage_, Hiruzen Sarurobi (猿飛 昼山).

* * *

"Yes, My Lord Third?" The Third and Fourth _Hokage _stood side by side, looking out a tower window that gave them a high above view of Konoha village. They could see the horizon tilting between orange and blue as dusk reached for them. No matter how low lit, the bright deciduous color of the trees couldn't be avoided, and were a sure sign of Autumn season.

"I hope you know that the Hokage burdens the responsibility of learning the _Kuoan_ Jutsu," Sarutobi said. "You also know of the _jinchuuriki _system." The old man's voice was often dreary and carried a serious tone. It demanded listening.

"Yes." Minato nodded his head.

"Minato, I am afraid to tell you this, but one of the Tailed Beasts has been spotted."

"A _jinchuuriki_?" Minato asked, looking at the Third.

"No," the old man said, shaking his head, "our beast, the ninth one."

Minato's eyes widened. Immediately, his thoughts went astray as dread entered his body. The feeling of concern led his wonders to where he left his maids, exhausted wife, and hours-old child. Sarutobi sighed and continued.

"The Nine Tails, being the strongest, accumulates hatred the easiest. Through history, it has become the most feared beast. We can't let it become a tool that ravages the world." Then, his eyes narrowed. "We can't let it forget what he has learned from us."

Minato lowered his head and frowned. Kuoan was the name of a popular master monk who wrote ten Buddhist poems about the human mind called "The Ten Bulls". They were so significant that they interpreted the foundations of reaching enlighten. Together, beast and man lived, struggled, learned joy and hate, fought, witnessed, like there were no difference between each other. They were all sentient beings; thus, the name "_Kuoan Jutsu_" came to be.

"I love my wife. I think she is truly the best choice to cleanse the _dukkha_ from the Nine Tails." Those were words of duty; however in secret, even Minato felt that Kushina without the demon was acceptable, even if for a moment. But Sarutobi's words were a harsh reminder of reality, the reality of The Feudal Lands, the culture of fighting, profit, and renovating the lands under a power. Even if it meant making deals with animals.

"Who is it? The one who calls himself 'Tsukuyomi'?" Minato asked.

"Indeed. He too was sighted." Sarutobi brought his pipe to his mouth. Minato cupped his chin with a hand. Many questions whirled through his mind, along with him having to form a plan.

"If he uses the Nine Tails against us, then we must take this opportunity to get it back."

* * *

Following dusk came night. The night was peaceful; later, a roar reverberated through Konoha village and its forest. Hours later, there were many burials. And Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to the seat of Hokage.

On the Day of _Tenko_, not only was a son's birth remembered, or an invasion of Tsukuyomi and the Nine-Tailed Fox, but also an oath. The great village of leaves faced a divergence of paths: anger, forgetfulness, unforgiveness, compassion, keeping secrets.

Twelve years passed since then. The title of _Tenko_ would be forgotten.

Replaced by another title: The Loudest Fool of Konoha!


End file.
